NaVorro Bowman

Bio

NaVorro Bowman is a middle linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers. A former starter at Penn State University, he has been a First-Team All-Pro selection in each of the past three years with San Francisco.

Early Years & College

Bowman was born in District Heights, MD on May 28, 1988. He played both running back and linebacker at Suitland High School in Forestville, MD, and he was named first team All-State and Maryland Defensive Player of the Year as a junior. Despite missing most of his senior season with a shoulder injury, he committed to Penn State University to play at the collegiate level.

Bowman redshirted his first year on campus in 2006 and played nine games as a freshman the following season. He became a full-time starter at linebacker for the Nittany Lions as a sophomore, leading the team with 106 tackles and providing 4.0 sacks. He ended up breaking a Penn State bowl record with five tackles for a loss against USC in the 2009 Rose Bowl. He earned First-Team All-Big 10 honors following the season.

San Francisco 49ers

Bowman started once again for the Nittany Lions in 2009, but wasn’t quite as productive. His mother announced that he would forfeit his last year of eligibility and enter the 2010 NFL Draft, and the San Francisco 49ers selected him with the 91st overall pick in the third round. As a rookie, Bowman saw action in all 16 games and made 48 total tackles in limited action for the 49ers.

Entering the 2011 season, the 49ers named Bowman a starter at middle linebacker alongside perennial All-Pro talent Patrick Willis. He led the team with 143 tackles in his first season as a full-time starter and ranked second in the league in solo tackles, helping San Francisco reach the playoffs for the first time since 2002. He made three consecutive AP All-Pro teams from 2011 through 2013 and also earned Pro Bowl recognition in 2012 and 2013. He suffered a devastating injury in the 2013 NFC Championship game against the Seattle Seahawks, tearing his ACL and MCL in his left knee.

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